Author Archive

Blockbuster reviews highlight PTOM’s November issue as we get the world-exclusive first crack at Resident Evil 6 for our cover feature. Executive editor Mikel Reparaz dives in deep to determine whether the newest installment in the survival horror series still delivers the scares with its move towards more action. One thing is for sure — RE6 and its multiple storyline format doesn’t skimp on play value with more than 30 hours of zombie-battling goodness.

We’ve also got the PS3-exclusive review of Borderlands 2. The first Borderlands game was pleasant surprise when it hit in 2010, but it fell a bit short when it came to gameplay polish and presentation. 2K Games and developer Gearbox Software pulled out all the stops for the sequel and review editor Scott Butterworth’s reaction can be summed up in one word: wow. Clear your schedules as this legitimate Game of the Year contender looks to consume an obscene amount of your gaming time.

Nothing seems to elicit more reaction from gamers than putting Call of Duty on our cover. But love it or hate it, there’s no denying that the franchise is still the king of the FPS hill. This time, our senior editor Scott Butterworth sat down with the Call of Duty: Black Ops II devs for a deep dive into the myriad of changes they’ve incorporated into the game’s online multiplayer. It’s difficult to predict how the laundry list of revisions will affect the overall experience, but it seems the COD battlefield has fundamentally changed.

Elsewhere, we delve into the forthcoming Resident Evil 6 by chronicling the first two chapters of each of the game’s three major campaigns. We also take a look at the opposite end of the gaming spectrum with a feature on the next wave of indie games coming to PSN.

The September digital issue, which features our exclusive look at Assassin’s Creed III for PS3 and Assassin’s Creed III Liberation for PS Vita, is currently available for the promotional price of 99 cents. Subscribe for just $19.99 a year to continue receiving PTOM’s unique brand of PlayStation coverage for just a few cents more per issue. Following the September issue, single-purchase digital issues will be priced the same as our newsstand print edition—so subscribe now for the best value.

PS3’s Connor and PS Vita’s Aveline make their mark on PTOM’s September cover as we delve into Assassin Creed III, the revolutionary new chapter(s) in Ubisoft’s blockbuster franchise. Executive editor Mikel Reparaz travelled to Ubisoft Montreal for a deep look into the gameplay of both the home console and portable games with exclusive insight from the developers. And can we just say we’re lovin’ the Revolutionary War setting for the games?

If sequels aren’t your thing, Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls and Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us lead off our look at 14 new PlayStation IP’s that promise to inject fresh ideas into gaming’s veins. We also sit down to chat with SCE Worldwide president Shuhei Yoshida for an update on Sony’s ace stable of first-part dev teams and all things PlayStation.

Call PTOM a bunch of bloodthirsty gore-aholics, but nothing piques our interest and attention more than a new God of War game. This issue, we dispatched executive editor Mikel Reparaz to Sony’s Santa Monica Studios to learn all that can be learned about God of War: Ascension. We’ve got the most detailed info yet available on the single-player and multiplayer action in Kratos’ new prequel as we reveal a Kratos caught between the remnants of his tortured humanity and the blind fury of the ruthless deity to come.

It’s also been a while since PTOM’s done an in-depth game strategy guide, but Rockstar’s latest Max Payne 3 has us so enamored that we couldn’t resist.

PTOM’s cover may be looking a bit more ragged than usual this month, but we think it perfectly represents the slice ’n’ dice awesomeness of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. We’ve got exclusive screenshots and chat with Hideo Kojima, Atsushi Inaba, and other members of the Platinum Games/Kojima Productions dev team to get the inside scoop on this new more action-oriented turn for the Metal Gear franchise. And FYI: The game’s slicing mechanic works suh-weeeeet!

We also take an in-depth look at 2K Games’ new combat shooter Spec Ops: The Line. Yes, another combat shooter. But Spec Ops focus on the dark, mind-twisting psychological effects of war is intriguing and could offer a new twist for the familiar genre. On a lighter note, we take a look at 20 Insane Trophies that we dare you to attempt. ’Cause there’s no way we’re ever gonna manage to earn ’em. Let us know how you do.

PTOM loves shooters, but lately we’ve been yearning for games that go beyond the standard battlefield blastfest. From its unique cel-shaded look to its insane weapons customization to its RPG-esque gameplay elements, our cover-story game, Borderlands 2, looks set to deliver that “next step” experience in spades. Join us as we visit developer Gearbox Software for the inside scoop on the game that’s aiming to redefine shooter-genre expectations.

Our second game feature this month may, perhaps, be even more revolutionary. Dust 514 brings PlayStation players into the immersive world of PC MMO EVE Online. It’s a fascinating concept that has PS3 gamers doing the fighting for, and interacting with, PC gamers as they go about their machinations in their perpetual online universe.

Sly ’s back, and the anthropomorphic raccoon has never looked better. PTOM’s May issue cover features one of PS2’s most beloved platformer protagonists as he prepares to star in his first all-new PS3 entry. Though original developer Sucker Punch has stepped aside, our visit with Thieves in Time’s developer Sanzaru Games indicates that the fourth game in the series is in good and capable hands.

Elsewhere in the issue, the battle rages on in our Medal of Honor: Warfighter feature as we get our first look at EA’s second offensive front against rival Activision’s Call of Duty franchise. Warfighter’s focus on Tier One operatives and cinematic action sequences indicate it’s got its sights squarely set on the rumored but as-yet-unconfirmed Black Ops 2. We can’t wait to see the pyrotechnics when these two powerhouses meet on the field of battle.